Permanent Mission of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to the UN, United States

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Women: Statement by Ambassador Herman Schaper on Violence against Women Stakeholder’s Forum

Women: Violence against Women Stakeholder’s Forum

12/13/2012

Statement by H.E. Herman Schaper

Permanent Representative of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to the United
Nations

at the Violence against Women Stakeholder's Forum

New York, 13 December 2012

Thank you, madam/mister chair, for giving me the floor. And let me start with
expressing my appreciation to UN Women, for organizing this forum on violence
against women.

Our panel discussion today on global commitment is both important and timely.
It is important, because too many women and girls continue to face violence
worldwide. And it is timely, with the 57th session of the CSW only a few months
away.

Violence against women is not a phenomenon which limits itself to a specific
country, culture or economic situation. Rather, it is a phenomenon which affects
women and girls of all sorts and kinds, rich and poor, young and old, worldwide.

Also in my very own country, violence against women remains a matter of
concern. Domestic violence for instance, is an issue where further progress
must, and can be made. Its persistence is intolerable.

For that reason, domestic violence and other forms of violence against women
have been a priority issue in the Dutch policy framework for a long time.
Effectively addressing it requires not only political commitment; it also
requires comprehensive and concrete action, and the participation of all
stakeholders.

Since 2004 the Netherlands has for instance been actively supporting the WE
CAN campaign, which aims to eradicate violence against women, including domestic
violence, worldwide. Through the use of change makers, the campaign successfully
stimulates a person-to-person change reaction, thereby creating a broad social
movement to stop violence. The approach is not only considered to be best
practice in fifteen municipalities in the Netherlands, it has also proven to be
successful in other countries, such as in India, where we have supported the
national campaign from the outset.

Distinguished colleagues,

What we preach at home, is also what we advocate abroad. Violence against
women has also been a priority within the Dutch foreign policy for many years
now. And so has the promotion of sexual and reproductive health and rights,
which is of crucial importance in the efforts to eradicate violence against
women.

The biannual General Assembly resolution on violence against women, the last
one having been adopted recently, is one such way through which we seek to
increase international political commitment. The high interest in the
negotiations on the resolution this year, reflects that there is a widespread
feeling of urgency within the UN membership on the matter.

We also give body to our political commitment through financial support. For
instance through the yearly contribution of two million euros to the UN Violence
Against Women Trust Fund, which has been counting on our support for many years
now.

Another important example of political, and even legal commitment, is the
Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women
and domestic violence. It calls not only to prevent such violence, but also to
protect victims and to prosecute perpetrators. And it makes clear that such
violence can no longer be considered a private matter; it is also states which
have obligations to fulfill.

Esteemed colleagues,

The key achievement of the international community is that it has
successfully put violence against women on the agenda, and that it continues to
work on strengthening the normative framework.

And indeed, progress has been made, also on the ground. More girls go to
school, more women speak up and men increasingly recognize the need for strong,
independent and empowered women.

Promising, yet the challenges remain. Perhaps the biggest of all challenges
is to change the narrative regarding women and violence. No longer portraying
them as victims, but rather as enterprising, powerful and courageous members of
society that can change their own destiny and that of others. A difficult and
long process, but one which we need to support and accelerate.

Ladies and gentlemen,

The Convention on the Elimination of all forms of Discrimination against
women, CEDAW, does not mention violence at all. A huge omission. It is therefore
that the CEDAW-committee issued general recommendation 19 in 1992, linking
gender based violence directly with discrimination. Because under the different
conventions, member states are obliged to act against discrimination in all its
forms. That is exactly why in this year’s Violence against Women resolution form
the NL and France, we state that gender based violence constitutes a form of
discrimination.

Some people are calling now for an additional protocol to the
CEDAW-convention specifically focused on violence against women. An interesting
idea that deserves looking further into.

The desired outcome for the CSW is, first and foremost, that we will have
agreed conclusions. After this year's failure, as well as that of 2005, where
the theme was also violence against women.

Secondly, broadly supported conclusions that will make a difference in every
day life for women. We should focus on the practicality of the measures, meaning
are they implementable or not? This topic is too important to be
politicized...though I realize that is difficult here in the UN with only
government officials!

Our hopes for the upcoming CSW are therefore not only that the existing
political commitment is further reinforced, but also that concrete and workable
solutions are offered. Such can only be the case if we listen. Listen to both
women and men. So that what we commit to, is actually relevant on the ground.